The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-04-15


Certainly" was Johns reply. 81
have had the book brought IN onpur-
pose, and here it is, opened at tho
right place" He referred to the open
page, and told her the numbers.
Then Edith opened a small satchel
which she had brought with her, and
took from it two packets. The men
watched her with breathlsss atten-
ton; but she calmly placed the satch-
ell on the ground beside her, and
then laid the larger packet on the
table. 1t was n roll of manuscript,
tied with strings. The other packet
she opened and produced three bank
notes.
"These are three notes for ESQ each"
she said, land the numbers are the
same"
"Where did you find themH" John
and Eric asked together.
Inside that roll OF manuscript"
she replied.
What manuscript is it?" John Paw.
son asked.
at is the paper which my uncle left
for me-" said Edith, "and which /
was not to open until / had reached
tf@ age of 81. 1t was written by my
mother, but toward the end there are
several pages which my uncle added.
My mother was not happy. l think
from what / have read there, that my
uncle loved her very much at one time;
but she preferred my father, and mar
ried him. She did not live long, but
died when | was a baby. Then my
father married somebody else, and |
am afraid he received q considerable
amount OF money from my uncle.
But he died three years ago, though /
did not know it at the tima. The
very day when Eric's trouble came
my uncle received news of my fathers
death and an abusive letter from the
widow saying that his debts amount
ed to 1920; and she said my uncle
must send that sum, and send it in
notes, not by check or draft. My un-
Gle wrote: This shall be my last
communication with q proud and ex-
travagant woman. She shall have
the money, and then good-by. This
is intended only for your eye, Edith
She did not say that her uncle also
begged her to be warned by her moth
er's fate and not allow her affections
to be won by any young fellow who
cared a great deal more about pictures
than about business; but she was TO
value at their true worth the qualities
of a noble and honorable man, who
never failed to do his duty, though the
man might not have youth on his
side.
"How came the bankno in here?'
Eric said, like a man who could scarce
ly believe his senses
John Pawson was examining the
notes. "They have been gummed or
pasted to something" he remarked.
YES" replied Edith; "they were
stuck to the back OF one of these
Sheets" Then she opened the roll
and showed where she had discovered
them.
"This is my theory" she continued:
"My uncle gummed the letter he had
received and fastened it to the last
sheet. Here it is. Some Of the gum
must have dropped on the back of the
| other sheet, and then it must have
come in contact with the notes, and
three OF them adhered, without him
being aware of it. He was agitated
and angry at the time, and the manu-
script was never opened again, for the
date on the corner Is that same day
when Eric's trouble came"
No other explanation suggested it.
self, or was necessary, but the notes
and papers were examined time after
time.
THANK God for this great mercym
said Eric.
"Ameni' replied John Pawson, de.
voutly. Edith was silent, but the
tears were falling down her cheeks.
Eric kissed her again and again.
John Pawson busted himself with
the notes, and there was no atom oil
jealousy about him.
s"They must marry at once he
said aloud; then he checked himself
and looked toward the lovers to see
whether they had heard him or not.
Yes, they had heard him, there
was no doubt about that, sc he made
a clean breast of it and said:
This makes no difference to the
viii. You must not see each other
before the marriage except in my com
pany or your uncle's fortune will be
lost. Lumley and Moss will be on the
lookout, | know. ! have often won
dered what people say to each other
when they are lovers, and fate has
ordered it so that / shall have to
know; but youmust bear my presence
as well as you can, and foria ll our
sakes made your wooing short"
"We must not tax John Pawson's
patience too much, must we, Edith"
was what Eric said, taking her hand
in his; then he whispered something
more.